Deposition apparatus for improving the uniformity of material processed over a substrate and method of using the apparatus

Abstract

Deposition apparatus for uniformly forming material on a substrate in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided. The deposition apparatus includes an energy source, an electrode in a facing, spaced relationship with respect to the substrate, and interface structure joined to the electrode. The interface structure is configured to electrically couple energy from the energy source through and about the interface structure to the electrode for formation of a substantially uniform electric field between the electrode and a predetermined area of the substrate when the interface structure is supplied with energy from the energy source.

1 . Deposition apparatus for uniformly processing material over a substrate, the deposition apparatus comprising:
 an energy source;   an electrode in a facing, spaced relationship with respect to the substrate; and   interface structure joined to the electrode, the interface structure being configured to electrically couple energy from the energy source through and about the interface structure to the electrode for formation of a substantially uniform electric field between the electrode and a predetermined area of the substrate when the interface structure is supplied with energy from the energy source.   
     
     
         2 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein electrically coupling the energy includes distributively coupling the energy along a substantial dimension of the interface structure contiguous with the electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interface structure comprises a plurality of different regions and at least two of the regions at least partially overlap one another. 
     
     
         4 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the interface structure includes a bar joined to the electrode such that a slot is formed between the electrode and the bar. 
     
     
         5 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the interface structure is an integral portion of the electrode. 
     
     
         6 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a reaction chamber configured to receive the substrate, the electrode and the interface structure therein. 
     
     
         7 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the substrate is electrically grounded within the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the substrate is heated. 
     
     
         9 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the substrate moves across the substantially uniform electric field. 
     
     
         10 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the electrode is spaced apart from the substrate from approximately 0.10 inches to approximately 3.00 inches in a predetermined deposition area. 
     
     
         11 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the substrate is electrically grounded, at least a portion of the substrate is heated, the substrate moves across the substantially uniform electric field, the electrode is spaced apart from the substrate from approximately 0.10 inches to approximately 3.00 inches, and the energy source provides RF energy having a value of approximately 13.56 MHz. 
     
     
         12 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a shield positioned between a portion of the electrode and the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined area of the substrate positioned within the substantially uniform electric field is less than or equal to 400 cm 2 . 
     
     
         14 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined area of the substrate positioned within the substantially uniform electric field is greater than 400 in 2  and less than or equal to 1000 in 2 . 
     
     
         15 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined area of the substrate positioned within the substantially uniform electric field is greater than 1000 in 2  and less than or equal to 10,000 in 2 . 
     
     
         16 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interface structure comprises a first interface structure and a second interface structure, the first interface structure joined to a first side of the electrode, the second interface structure joined to a second side of the electrode, the first and a second interface structures being configured to electrically couple energy from the energy source through and about each of the first and second interface structures to the electrode for promoting formation of a substantially uniform electric field between the electrode and the predetermined area of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the energy source comprises a first energy source and a second energy source, the first energy source providing first energy to the first interface structure, the second energy source providing second energy to the second interface structure. 
     
     
         18 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises two energy sources, each of the two energy sources being electrically coupled to a different portion of the interface structure. 
     
     
         19 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source provides RF energy. 
     
     
         20 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source provides VHF energy. 
     
     
         21 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interface structure comprises a plurality of different regions positioned along a side of the electrode and spaced apart from each other in an outward direction from the side of the electrode, and at least two of the regions at least partially overlap one another. 
     
     
         22 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the spacing between a member of the interface structure and the electrode or the space between two members of the interface structure is up to 10× a cross sectional thickness of one of the members. 
     
     
         23 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the regions has an adjustable position. 
     
     
         24 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the energy source is RF energy having a value in the range of approximately 10 MHz to approximately 30 MHz. 
     
     
         25 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the energy source is VHF energy having a value in the range of approximately 30 MHz to approximately 100 MHz. 
     
     
         26 . A plasma-assisted deposition system utilizing the apparatus of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         27 . A plasma-assisted etching system utilizing the apparatus of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         28 . A photovoltaic device made in part utilizing the apparatus of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         29 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 28 , wherein a layer of the device is deposited over the substrate of the device during a plasma-assisted deposition process. 
     
     
         30 . Deposition apparatus for uniformly processing material over a substrate, the deposition apparatus comprising:
 an energy source;   a plurality of substrates comprising a first substrate and a second substrate in a facing, spaced relationship with respect to each other;   an electrode positioned between the first and the second substrates, the electrode being in a facing, spaced relationship with respect to both the first and the second substrates;   interface structure joined to the electrode, the interface structure being configured to electrically couple energy from the energy source through and about the interface structure to the electrode for the formation of a substantially uniform electric field between the electrode and a predetermined area of the first substrate and between the electrode and a predetermined area of the second substrate when the interface structure is supplied with energy from the energy source;   a reaction chamber configured to receive the first and second substrates, the electrode and the interface structure therein; and   apparatus configured to distribute the inlet of gaseous materials into the reaction chamber and the outlet of gaseous materials from the reaction chamber.   
     
     
         31 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the interface structure comprises a plurality of different regions and at least two of the regions at least partially overlap one another. 
     
     
         32 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the interface structure includes a combination of materials. 
     
     
         33 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the energy source comprises two energy sources, each of the two energy sources being electrically coupled to a different portion of the interface structure. 
     
     
         34 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein each of the first and second substrates is electrically grounded, at least a portion of each of the first and second substrates is heated, each of the first and second substrates move across the substantially uniform electric field between the electrode and the first substrate and between the electrode and the second substrate, and the electrode is spaced apart from each of the first and second substrates from approximately 0.10 inches to approximately 3.00 inches. 
     
     
         35 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising a shield positioned between at least one of the first or second substrates and the electrode. 
     
     
         36 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of substrates comprises a first plurality of substrates and a second plurality of substrates, each of the first and second plurality of substrates having a facing, spaced relationship with respect to the electrode, the first plurality of substrates being positioned in a spaced, coplanar manner with respect to each other on one side of the electrode, the second plurality of substrates being positioned in a spaced, coplanar manner with respect to each other on the other side of the electrode, and the interface structure is configured to electrically couple energy from the energy source through and about the interface structure to the electrode for forming a substantially uniform electric field between the electrode and a predetermined area of the first plurality of substrates and between the electrode and a predetermined area of the second plurality of substrates when the interface structure is supplied with energy from the energy source. 
     
     
         37 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the energy source provides RF energy having a value of approximately 13.56 MHz. 
     
     
         38 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the energy source provides VHF energy having a value in the range of approximately 30 MHz to approximately 100 MHz. 
     
     
         39 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode includes a cavity configured to receive the interface structure securely therein, and the interface structure includes a plurality of energy outlets electrically coupled with an exterior surface of the electrode spaced apart from the substrate, whererin the interface structure is configured to electrically couple energy from the energy source through and about the interface structure to the energy outlets for formation of a substantially uniform electric field between the exterior surface of the electrode and a predetermined area of the substrate when the interface structure is supplied with energy from the energy source. 
     
     
         40 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the interface structure further comprises a central portion electrically coupled with the energy source and each of the plurality of energy outlets. 
     
     
         41 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the interface structure further includes a plurality of spaced apart branches, each branch having one or more of the plurality of energy outlets. 
     
     
         42 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the energy source electrically couples to the interface structure through a portion of the electrode that is not between the exterior surface of the electrode and the substrate. 
     
     
         43 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the energy source electrically couples to the interface structure through a side portion of the electrode. 
     
     
         44 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the electrode is further configured to receive gas within the cavity and direct gas from the cavity toward the uniform field between the exterior surface of the electrode and the substrate. 
     
     
         45 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the electrode and the interface structure are configured so the interface structure includes a first plurality of energy outlets electrically coupled with a first exterior surface of the electrode and a second plurality of energy outlets electrically coupled with a second exterior surface of the electrode, the interface structure being configured to electrically couple energy from the energy source through and about the interface structure to each of the plurality of energy outlets for formation of a substantially uniform electric field between the first exterior surface of the electrode and a first substrate spaced apart from the first exterior surface and formation of a substantially uniform electric field between the second exterior surface of the electrode and a second substrate spaced apart from the second exterior surface when the interface structure is supplied with energy from the energy source. 
     
     
         46 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the electrode is further configured to receive gas within the cavity and direct gas from the cavity toward the uniform field between the first exterior surface and the first substrate and between the second exterior surface and the second substrate. 
     
     
         47 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the energy source provides RF energy having a value in the range of approximately 10 MHz to approximately 30 MHz. 
     
     
         48 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the energy source provides VHF energy having a value in the range of approximately 30 MHz to approximately 100 MHz. 
     
     
         49 . A method of processing material over a substrate, the method comprising:
 providing a reaction chamber, an electrode facing and spaced apart from the substrate, an interface structure joined to the electrode; and an energy source, the reaction chamber configured to receive the substrate, the electrode and the interface structure therein, and the interface structure being configured to electrically couple energy from the energy source through and about the interface structure to the electrode for the formation of a substantially uniform electric field between the electrode and a predetermined area of the substrate when energy from the energy source is supplied to the interface structure;   supplying a gas into the reaction chamber;   setting a pressure within the reaction chamber at a vacuum pressure;   supplying energy from the energy source to the interface structure; and   forming a plasma within the substantially uniform electric field, wherein a material of the plasma is deposited on the substrate.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the interface structure comprises a plurality of different regions and at least two of the regions at least partially overlap one another. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the deposited material has substantially uniform thickness in the predetermined area of the substrate.